Most people know the only reason I do AIDS Lifecycle is for the potato chips. And most people know I'm kidding.
But in reality, despite my love of French food and smelly cheese, it is almost impossible for me to pass up potato chips. But I know that if I ate them as often as I wanted, I'd need a forklift to get out of bed in the morning. So I save my potato chip eating for lunchtime during the ride.
Except for the last couple of weeks. It all started in Norway. My friend Arna introduced me to Norwegian potato chips, and though her potato chip obsession pales in comparison to mine, even she can't resist them. They truly were wonderful. Exceptionally crisp with just the right amount of salt, which is to say, a bit too much. We went through two bags while I was there, and it must have woken up my potato chip urge, because on my last two cycling rides, I succumbed.
This past weekend was another trip around Tiburon Loop, and as usual, we stopped at Shark's Deli. I'm usually not hungry after what is really not that long a ride, but this Saturday, I was. I'm not really enticed by most of what they have at the Deli, but there they were-- salt and pepper potato chips. I bought a small bag, and no, I did not share them. That and a Luna bar and I was ready for the rest of the ride back to the Presidio and the AIDS Lifecycle Expo.
The Expo is a yearly event with various bike stores selling their wares, Roadie training and a San Francisco AIDS Foundation and Positive Pedaler Booths.
At the Pos Ped Booth I saw my friends and met the newest member-- a young woman who is about to do her first ride. I'm looking forward to spending more time with her and hearing her story.
After a bit we headed north to get to Comfort Food Cafe before it closed. I had breakfast for lunch and lots of coffee.
This coming week we'll ride up to Point Reyes and stop at another Deli for lunch. Jerry and I will split a turkey sandwich and I will use as much willpower as I can muster to stay away from the potato chips.
Unless I'm really hungry.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
White's Hill and Truffle Salt
Yesterday, Jerry and I rode with the Sunday Cat 2 series to Lagunitas.
It was a gorgeous day, though it did start out chilly. My cap fit snugly over my newly shorn hair under my helmet, and it did much to keep me warm on that first mile out of Mike's Bikes in Sausalito, where we picked up the ride.
But what got me warm in a hurry was the ride up Camino Alto. I was actually looking forward to that climb to get the blood flowing. It worked. We climbed at our usually not-record-breaking speeds, but caught up with lots of folks on the descent. That is where tandems shine-- with all our weight we can take a downhill with the best of them. Jerry has been cautious of late on those downhills, but we still move pretty fast. Ever since his crash he's a tad more timid, but I do see the old confidence returning.
We stopped with everyone in Fairfax for snacks and picture-taking for an article about the Positive Pedalers, which will be published in April. It will be in a magazine about living with HIV -- HIV Plus Magazine. Looking forward to reading the article.
After the stop in Fairfax it was time to climb White's Hill, something we had not done in months. As usual, we weren't going to break any speed records, but considering we had not made the climb in a while we rode it well. Then the speedy downhill and cruise into Lagunitas.
In Lagunitas I once again turned into a huckster for our fundraiser, A Taste of Spring, which happens in Petaluma next Saturday evening. I think I convinced a few people to come, and I asked two other riders to volunteer for the event. They are both unemployed and knew they couldn't buy tickets, but I couldn't imagine the event without Gabo and Stephan, so they will come and volunteer and add to the event's success.
We didn't eat lunch in Lagunitas, decided we would hold off until after we got home, where we went to our usual spot-- Comfort Food Cafe. Leslie, the owner, had some perfectly ripe pears which she gave us to have for dessert, although we ate so much for lunch we decided to take them home to have later.
Because of the big lunch, I didn't really want a real dinner, so I decided popcorn was just the thing.
I love popcorn, but I love it even more with truffle salt. I sprinkled white truffle salt all over the popcorn and accompanied it with a glass of Malbec.
After the wine and the day's exercise, I managed to stay up until 10 pm, and then had one of the best night's of sleep I've had in a long time.
This week will be finishing up work on the fundraiser-- buying ingredients for the hors d'oeuvres, and working with friends who have graciously agreed to help me with prep. I know all the hard work will pay off in a lot of fun and funds raised for HIV and AIDS services.
It was a gorgeous day, though it did start out chilly. My cap fit snugly over my newly shorn hair under my helmet, and it did much to keep me warm on that first mile out of Mike's Bikes in Sausalito, where we picked up the ride.
But what got me warm in a hurry was the ride up Camino Alto. I was actually looking forward to that climb to get the blood flowing. It worked. We climbed at our usually not-record-breaking speeds, but caught up with lots of folks on the descent. That is where tandems shine-- with all our weight we can take a downhill with the best of them. Jerry has been cautious of late on those downhills, but we still move pretty fast. Ever since his crash he's a tad more timid, but I do see the old confidence returning.
We stopped with everyone in Fairfax for snacks and picture-taking for an article about the Positive Pedalers, which will be published in April. It will be in a magazine about living with HIV -- HIV Plus Magazine. Looking forward to reading the article.
After the stop in Fairfax it was time to climb White's Hill, something we had not done in months. As usual, we weren't going to break any speed records, but considering we had not made the climb in a while we rode it well. Then the speedy downhill and cruise into Lagunitas.
In Lagunitas I once again turned into a huckster for our fundraiser, A Taste of Spring, which happens in Petaluma next Saturday evening. I think I convinced a few people to come, and I asked two other riders to volunteer for the event. They are both unemployed and knew they couldn't buy tickets, but I couldn't imagine the event without Gabo and Stephan, so they will come and volunteer and add to the event's success.
We didn't eat lunch in Lagunitas, decided we would hold off until after we got home, where we went to our usual spot-- Comfort Food Cafe. Leslie, the owner, had some perfectly ripe pears which she gave us to have for dessert, although we ate so much for lunch we decided to take them home to have later.
Because of the big lunch, I didn't really want a real dinner, so I decided popcorn was just the thing.
I love popcorn, but I love it even more with truffle salt. I sprinkled white truffle salt all over the popcorn and accompanied it with a glass of Malbec.
After the wine and the day's exercise, I managed to stay up until 10 pm, and then had one of the best night's of sleep I've had in a long time.
This week will be finishing up work on the fundraiser-- buying ingredients for the hors d'oeuvres, and working with friends who have graciously agreed to help me with prep. I know all the hard work will pay off in a lot of fun and funds raised for HIV and AIDS services.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Scaredy Cars and Roast Chicken
Jerry and I once again pedaled around Tiburon Loop yesterday. It was an absolutely beautiful day. The sun was shining and it was even verging on warm. Delightful.
Maybe it's just us -- we are on a tandem so it's a bit bigger than a half bike-- but cars seem not only afraid to pass us, but they seem afraid of getting anywhere near us. They stay way back, crawling along until they finally get up the nerve to pass. True, the road around Tiburon is one lane each way and the visibility is not always great, but the cars there-- most of them giant Range Rovers or some other pricey huge SUVs, seem particularly timid.
I suppose that's better than them trying to run us off the road, but it does seem strangely amusing that they seem afraid of us.
Riding the tandem felt wonderful. I had begged off on Saturday, still feeling a bit jet lagged and tired, but the wait was worth it. We rode strong and were not exhausted at the end of the ride.
Once we got home, Jerry headed off to Petaluma to play with his airplane, and I headed to Goodwill. I have a friend in need of jerseys so I went to take a look-see. He's a small, and there was only one jersey that seemed to fit the bill, but I decided to hold off on it. I think I can do better for him, so I'll keep my eyes open for more bargains that are sure to come.
Having not cooked in a while, I decided it was a night for a simple roast chicken, potatoes and broccoli.
I cut red potatoes up small and drizzled olive oil and salt and pepper on them. Yes, I was making "camp potatoes," but with a twist. They went into a pan that held my vertical roaster with the chicken perched on it, so the potatoes got good chicken fat dripped on them, making them even more crisp and delicious. I lightly steamed the broccoli in the microwave, carved the chicken, which I had also seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper, and that was it.
Sometimes a meal so simple can be so delicious. We had a nice red wine with it-- something I had picked up at Trader Joe's-- and ate dinner while watching the Academy Awards. A simple dinner; a pleasant evening after a delightful ride.
Maybe it's just us -- we are on a tandem so it's a bit bigger than a half bike-- but cars seem not only afraid to pass us, but they seem afraid of getting anywhere near us. They stay way back, crawling along until they finally get up the nerve to pass. True, the road around Tiburon is one lane each way and the visibility is not always great, but the cars there-- most of them giant Range Rovers or some other pricey huge SUVs, seem particularly timid.
I suppose that's better than them trying to run us off the road, but it does seem strangely amusing that they seem afraid of us.
Riding the tandem felt wonderful. I had begged off on Saturday, still feeling a bit jet lagged and tired, but the wait was worth it. We rode strong and were not exhausted at the end of the ride.
Once we got home, Jerry headed off to Petaluma to play with his airplane, and I headed to Goodwill. I have a friend in need of jerseys so I went to take a look-see. He's a small, and there was only one jersey that seemed to fit the bill, but I decided to hold off on it. I think I can do better for him, so I'll keep my eyes open for more bargains that are sure to come.
Having not cooked in a while, I decided it was a night for a simple roast chicken, potatoes and broccoli.
I cut red potatoes up small and drizzled olive oil and salt and pepper on them. Yes, I was making "camp potatoes," but with a twist. They went into a pan that held my vertical roaster with the chicken perched on it, so the potatoes got good chicken fat dripped on them, making them even more crisp and delicious. I lightly steamed the broccoli in the microwave, carved the chicken, which I had also seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper, and that was it.
Sometimes a meal so simple can be so delicious. We had a nice red wine with it-- something I had picked up at Trader Joe's-- and ate dinner while watching the Academy Awards. A simple dinner; a pleasant evening after a delightful ride.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Land of the Midnight Sun. And Cheese
Just back from a week in Norway. In reality, too late in the season for midnight sun-- there were, in fact quite a few hours of daylight though many of the days I was there were overcast, grey and snowy. I thoroughly enjoyed the snow. It had been many years since I trudged around in snow. The last time was most likely in St. Petersburg, Russia, or maybe a January trip to New York. But in any case, I loved it. I had a thinsulate jacket and my ears were covered, so the cold was not too bad. Also, my friend Arna had me buy a pair of feetless wool tights. Absolutely wonderful and I'm considering wearing them for cold weather cycling.
Aside from the snow, there was, the cheese. Part of the extreme cheese eating was due to the fact that my friend is kosher, and she can't get kosher chicken in Oslo. She did have some chicken she had brought from the states (thank you, Trader Joe's) and we partook of that and some kosher lamb she had also imported. And, we ate a lot of cheese.
I absolutely love cheese but eat it very sparingly at home, mostly due to its monumental fat content, but hey, I was on vacation.
We ate hard cheese, soft cheese, goat cheese, cream cheese. We had it on wonderful thin flatbread flavored with rosemary. We had it on hearty whole grain crackers and wonderful crusty bread.
We also had good Indian food in Oslo and decent Chinese food in Kongsberg. Norway is legendarily expensive, but while these restaurants were pricey by American standards, they were quite reasonable for Norway.
Being a huge cluckaholic, I had chicken at both restaurants. I was relieved that the chicken at the Chinese restaurant was not sweet, as is so often the case. Anyone who knows me knows I have a thing about sweet food. Sweets are for dessert. Not for main course. Do not put orange sauce on my duck; no sweet ginger sauce on my salmon, thank you very much.
And speaking of salmon, we also had lovely salmon one night for dinner. It was not sauced at all and was moist and flavorful.
I drank my share of coffee in Norway, and a lot of it was good. That's partly because I brought a can of Trader Joe's French roast with me and we made coffee in an Aero-Press. In addition, Arna's office had an industrial-sized Nespresso machine, which churned out great cups. But "regular" coffee in Norway is not to my liking. It tends to be not dark roast enough and a bit bitter to my taste. I had vague memories from my last trip there, which was all the more reason to bring some coffee.
In addition to coffee, I brought three or four Aeropresses with me. Arna had one, but wanted another for her office, and being the envy of many friends who loved hers, I brought some more for friends and coworkers. How such a simple little coffee maker can make one of the absolutely best cups of coffee is amazing. By far the most portable coffee maker I've ever had, and in my opinion, far better and neater than French press.
And then there were the Norwegian potato chips. Normally, I reserve potato chip eating for the AIDS ride, but again, I was on vacation. And the potato chips were outrageously crisp and crunchy. We went through two bags while I was there, and if there had been another bag sitting around, it would not have sat around for long. Yum.
What I didn't eat a lot of were sweets. Chocolate gives me migraines and we also had to deal with the meat/milk aspects of meals at Arna's. We did have ice cream one night, but by and large, it was not a dessert-laden week.
Home now, I'm back to a refrigerator with some feta, but no other kinds of cheese, and it will stay that way.
And most definitely no potato chips in the cupboard.
Aside from the snow, there was, the cheese. Part of the extreme cheese eating was due to the fact that my friend is kosher, and she can't get kosher chicken in Oslo. She did have some chicken she had brought from the states (thank you, Trader Joe's) and we partook of that and some kosher lamb she had also imported. And, we ate a lot of cheese.
I absolutely love cheese but eat it very sparingly at home, mostly due to its monumental fat content, but hey, I was on vacation.
We ate hard cheese, soft cheese, goat cheese, cream cheese. We had it on wonderful thin flatbread flavored with rosemary. We had it on hearty whole grain crackers and wonderful crusty bread.
We also had good Indian food in Oslo and decent Chinese food in Kongsberg. Norway is legendarily expensive, but while these restaurants were pricey by American standards, they were quite reasonable for Norway.
Being a huge cluckaholic, I had chicken at both restaurants. I was relieved that the chicken at the Chinese restaurant was not sweet, as is so often the case. Anyone who knows me knows I have a thing about sweet food. Sweets are for dessert. Not for main course. Do not put orange sauce on my duck; no sweet ginger sauce on my salmon, thank you very much.
And speaking of salmon, we also had lovely salmon one night for dinner. It was not sauced at all and was moist and flavorful.
I drank my share of coffee in Norway, and a lot of it was good. That's partly because I brought a can of Trader Joe's French roast with me and we made coffee in an Aero-Press. In addition, Arna's office had an industrial-sized Nespresso machine, which churned out great cups. But "regular" coffee in Norway is not to my liking. It tends to be not dark roast enough and a bit bitter to my taste. I had vague memories from my last trip there, which was all the more reason to bring some coffee.
In addition to coffee, I brought three or four Aeropresses with me. Arna had one, but wanted another for her office, and being the envy of many friends who loved hers, I brought some more for friends and coworkers. How such a simple little coffee maker can make one of the absolutely best cups of coffee is amazing. By far the most portable coffee maker I've ever had, and in my opinion, far better and neater than French press.
And then there were the Norwegian potato chips. Normally, I reserve potato chip eating for the AIDS ride, but again, I was on vacation. And the potato chips were outrageously crisp and crunchy. We went through two bags while I was there, and if there had been another bag sitting around, it would not have sat around for long. Yum.
What I didn't eat a lot of were sweets. Chocolate gives me migraines and we also had to deal with the meat/milk aspects of meals at Arna's. We did have ice cream one night, but by and large, it was not a dessert-laden week.
Home now, I'm back to a refrigerator with some feta, but no other kinds of cheese, and it will stay that way.
And most definitely no potato chips in the cupboard.
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